Thursday, January 27, 2011

I am so grumpy, the spotted wonder dog decided it was a good thing to bark at 3am and then 5:30. My alarm goes off at 6, so do you see the problem here? So I did get up up and let them out both times, but the 2nd time took them for a walk. She is just in a social mood.

Now for the great news. I weighed myself last night and lost another 2lbs, so, since we started I have lost 5lbs an now weigh 185. Baby steps!

What am I doing Right: writing down my foods, measuring, reading labels and not beating myself up if I eat something that is not a "good" food.

What am I doing Wrong: Not exercising! I was doing so well since I have to walk dogs, but then we got all the snow and ice and that has made it interesting to say the least! I still walk them but not as far and not with any speed so I cannot call it exercise. My goal next week is to start back at the gym a couple days a week.

Things that have helped-- when I went shopping last week I bought some new glad lock containers for bringing lunch to work. I also bought a big thing of salad at Costco. I have been actually fixing my lunch and bringing it to work, then I know exactly what I have and can fix it the way I want. I have also done the frozen meal thing, but they are never that great, so this has worked out better. So when I go shopping this weekend will also try and pre-plan for lunches etc.

Your inner critic, I was reading on the blog, http://crazysexylife.com/ and she was talking about her inner critics. To deal with it, while at a conference, she was feeling her inner critics taking over so she spoke with a police officer and she had him "arrest" her inner critics, had them in the squad care and drive them away. She talked about a friend who had named her inner critic "Fred" and often told him to shut up. I sort of like that! We all have that doubt, that voice that tells us we won't succeed, we need to find a way to put that voice to rest. I think I am going to name my inner critic, I shall call him Frank.

Today is the youngest's birthday, he is 17! I am making chicken enchiladas (recipe will follow) and some nifty cupcakes.. with a few changes. The original recipe calls for EIGHT sticks of butter!!! Just could not do it!
Later!

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

I do not like the calories....But I love eating them..... oh decisions! Is there such a thing as a health twice baked potato? maybe!!!!
here is what you need:
1 large potato... baked.. or cooked in the microwave
cut in half once done and scoop out the innards leaving the shell.
Take you potato and mash it all together, added 2 tbs light sour cream (40 cal!) and add salt and pepper to taste. shred 1/4 cheddar cheese, mix half of that in with the mashed potato.
meanwhile take three pieces of uncooked bacon and place on 2 paper towels on a microwave safe plate. cook on high 2.5-3 minutes... turns out perfect!
Now, take you mashed potato and add into your potato halves, sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bacon, place on oven safe pan and broil until cheese is melted.
YUMMY!!
1 large potato- 278 cal
bacon 150 cal
2 tbs light sour cream- 40
cheddar cheese 140

total calories: 608 or 1/2 potato is only 304!!!

I ate 1/2 potato and was full, it was dinner tonight and will be lunch tomorrow!

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

so why are these things important? well I was writing down my food and averaging around 1000 calories but only lost a pound. I looked at my creamer again for coffee and low and behold, forgot it was not my fat free/sugar free and I was not measuring well so I bet my calorie count was way off!!!!

so my other error? karile was not the biggest loser this week.. it was ....DARCY!! 3.5 LBS WHOO HOO!

And lastly I had been asked for my special recipe for chicken tortilla soup... I don't really follow directions or recipes to well with soup but will try!

5 chicken breasts- simmered in a jar of salsa, onions and peppers until meat is cooked thru. break apart the chicken meat. I took about half of this and used it for chicken fajitas, mainly the chicken and veggies not as much of the liquid

Take the other half and put it in a big sauce pot, add 1 can corn, 1 can black beans, 1 can garbanzo beans, 1 can rotell tomato and green chilis and 2 cans of tomato chunks. Mix all together, simmer, add some taco seasoning if you like. It freezes well and tastes great! I also took some plain tortilla, sprayed them with pam and some season salt and bake in the oven at 300 until crisp, and they are great in the soup.

The soup was sort of like one I found on the net.. chicken similar lentils, but with avocado and sour cream cheese and tortilla chips and that was 370 cal a serving, so since this did not have that stuff I est about 275-300 calories for about a cup and a half serving

Monday, January 17, 2011

I no longer have beef in my freezer...so sad. I am going to be like most people and actually have to buy meat from the grocery, as opposed to raising it and knowing the calf, his mom and his habits and now in my freezer. No more jokes about "Mongo taste good" or "Are we having Dinner for dinner?"

With that being said frozen chicken breast was at Costco for $1.99/lb for a 10 pound package, so guess what I do have in my freezer? you got it, chicken!!

Why I like frozen chicken breasts, besides it tasting good, is that they are individually frozen and you can take out what you need or cook ahead.

For instance, Friday night I baked 4 chicken breasts and brown/wild rice. I used half water and half chicken broth for the rice and put it all in the pan together with some Italian seasonings, pepper, season salt etc. Forgot about and cooked it at 300 for a while. I wasn't eating it then, so once it was cooled just put the whole pan in the fridge. Now on Saturday, I had chicken breast and rice for dinner. On Sunday, I took one breast and sliced it up. I also fixed 2 salads in containers, put half of the chicken breast on each along with with 1/3 can of mandarin oranges, some feta cheese, an egg, some pea pods, and some banana peppers. Like magic lunch for Monday and Tuesday. Then I took the two other breasts and rice and put them in individual containers and froze them... so 2 more meals. The the rest of the rice, I fed to my dogs, which made them so happy. So did you keep track? I cooked once, and have 5 meals! The week before I cooked chicken with onions and salsa and made chicken fajitas and then chicken tortilla soup. Again, some is in the freezer, some to lunch.

Do you try and plan ahead like that? I am trying to do that this week with my lunches. While at Costco, they had a huge container of spring salad, all sorts of leafy greens for $3.68... same as the fancy bags of salad at the grocery. So I am going to make my salads ahead to take to work, heavy on the veggies and also some protein like boiled eggs or chicken or tuna or cheese. Just be sure to measure you dressing and try a lighter version of what you like. Some of the spray dressings are not bad. I am currently into the vinegar balsamics. The other thing I picked up to munch on was the sweet pea pods... mmmmmm. At Trader Joe's, I found frozen mango's. So sweet and a serving of 2 pieces is 110 calories.

I also found this website http://www.favediets.com/ They take recipes and make them lighter and also have them from restaurants ( I can never spell that, thank God for spell check!!) Here is one I want to try:
Cajun-Style Chicken Salad

Spice up your next picnic with this healthy chicken recipe. This quick easy chicken salad recipe is lighter than other chicken salads because it has no mayonnaise. It's a true low calorie crowd favorite.

which is more important to you? does the scale totally bum you out? I had one member of our group so bummed because she had exercised and still gained a pound. Remember fat weighs less then muscle... if you are exercising and watching your food and you gain a pound was it truly a pound of fat? Look at some other things... do you clothes fit better? can you button your pants with out doing the shimmy dance trying to get them up and the buttons trying to meet? (you all know what I am talking about!)

This week, I want you to go measure yourself. As in thigh, waist, hips, upper arms. write down the number, keep it, cherish it, put it in a safe place and forget about it.... then down the road I will have you re measure and compare. Also, find that pair of jeans or shirt that you have held on to in the hopes you could wear it again. (not from you high school days!!!) Take it out of the back of your closet... try it on. Then put it on a nice hanger so you can see it and hang it up in a prominent place for you to see. Just a visual cue to remind yourself what you are working for.

So are you ready for the numbers? Since I do not have every ones weight yet, I cannot give you a group start and loss yet....

The big winner or should I say loser, this week is Karile with 2 lbs!! This is in spite of having 2 younger kids and starting a new job! Way to go!!!!!

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

How is the exercising going? How about the food diary? I have been doing ok.... My hardest time to track is on the weekends. Its easy to me during the day as I keep a log on my computer at work and add to it as the day goes on. Then before I go home I just add up what I have and figure how many calories I can eat for the evening. But its not so easy for me on the weekends. I tend to snack and have to be very careful with what I have around the house. If something tastes good, if one or two is good, ten is better! and I have a major sweet tooth!
I like cereal, and golden puffs were on sale.. so I now allow calories to get my sweet tooth fix. There is no rule that you can't have anything, you just can have it in moderation!

Saturday, January 8, 2011

So how many calories is in an apple? a hard boiled egg? a package of instant flavored oatmeal? 2 mint Oreo cookies? It is easy to look on a package... if you have it near by, but what if you don't? and what is the serving size of what you are eating?

One web site I go to is http://www.calorieking.com/ You can look up your food item and it will give you a portion size and the calories, as well as nutritional content. As with any of the calorie info sites, sometimes the portions make no sense, so you have to be very aware and keep looking. All you have to do is google calories and the name of the item and there are many pocket size books with calories.

Now to answer those burning questions.... a large apple as 121 calories, a hard boiled egg has 13 calories, instant oatmeal, depends on the flavor.. 160-190 calories, and finally 2 mint oreos140 calories. Remember for your overall diet you need to look for nutrient dense foods, but if you are craving that Oreo, count the calories and don't punish yourself!

Friday, January 7, 2011

Have you set a goal? Do you think your life will be perfect if you lose 10ls or 15 or 50 pounds? Then once you hit that goal, can you stop your "diet"?

Lets talk about goals first.. ok we are not on the biggest loser and we do not have Bob and Jillian and are not at the ranch 24/7. We are at home, with our families and working and paying bills, and running errands and fixing dinner at the last minute because everyone is starving now and if you run to the fast food joint this just once it really won't matter!

So what is your goal? Is it weight loss? is it fitness? Is it to wear those jeans you have in your closet that you have not wore since forever? What makes a difference in your life? Do you want to be able to chase your kids every where and not feel like you are too exhausted to enjoy life? What motivates YOU?

Me, I was tired of being tired and wanted to enjoy my life. I wanted to buy clothes where ever I wanted. So, I started exercising. Did an "extreme body makeover" with Farrell's... and then started running. Did a 5k on 11/1/09... the hot chocolate run in which I got a hoodie that says "will run for chocolate". I have done a half marathon of 13.1 miles, walked most of it but finished, couple other 5k's and part of the Honolulu Marathon. I had injured my foot and it has been a slow haul back but I am doing it a step at a time.

So my goal? I want to finish a marathon. I want to be able to wear my clothes comfortably. I want to be able to say, yeah, I did that.

How do you calculate how many calories you need per day? do you guess? I found a neat site that does a lot of different calculations, its http://www.calculator.net/ On the front page you will see weight loss calculators, if you go to calories calculator you can figure how much you need per day to stay the same, gain or lose. For me I am 5'5" and weigh 190 and am 47 years old. I exercise moderately 3-5 times per week ( I walk my dogs every day for at least 45 min per day) So for me, I need 2321 calories to maintain my weight, 1821 to lose a pound a week or 1321 to lose two pounds per week. You will have to remember to go back and check as with decreasing weight you calorie needs will change, but with this site it is easy peasy!!

Thursday, January 6, 2011

So how do you track your physical exercise? Do you write it down? estimate it? guess? sit on the couch and wonder what you did today? There are all sorts of programs you can use. find something easy that works for YOU!! It does not matter how many people say how easy something is, unless it works for you it does matter how perfect people say the program is it has to be perfect for you!

I am currently using a program called "Endomondo" http://www.endomondo.com/home Some friends recommended it and I downloaded the app to my android phone. oh yeah, did I mention the cost? its FREE!!!!

I have three dogs and have to walk them daily. for them to be nice dogs, I have to do at least 30 min per day. Today it was 47 min 38 seconds, and I walked 47 minutes and I can even give you my mile splits! It automatically will post to Facebook. It is really easy, I have my phone in my pocket, once I get everyone leashed up and ready to go, after the initial potty stop, I turn on endomondo. There is a 10 sec delay feature and it will count down "...3,2,1 start your endorphins" I know, its corny, but still. Also I have mine set for mile splits, so when I hit a mile, it will speak to me and say "1 mile in 19 minutes, 13 seconds" Now if you are really coordinated when walking dogs, you could hit the pause button, so the potty breaks would not be times! But, I can not operate my touch screen with gloves.. maybe when it warms up...

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Well I am June..... at my highest weight I was up to 230lbs and at 5'5". Yeah, I kept saying I was under tall not overweight. I have started exercising and got down to 178 and now back up to 190. argh! The best thing I did was get rid of those "fat clothes" so since I was running out of clothes to wear, started back on track! Of course I cannot do it on my own, so I have to coerce my friends into joining me! So far we have Angie, Michelle, Karile, Kelly, Dawn, and Nichole. We shall see who else joins!!!

1. Weight Loss- Like the Biggest Loser, we will go by percentage of weight loss. Our weeks will start on Wednesdays, so tomorrow weigh in and send me the weight. I will not share this with the team. After that on Wednesday's send me your current weight and then I will post the percentages of weight loss for everyone to see. One thing that helps with weight loss is to keep a log of everything that goes in your mouth. Keep track. If you chose, you can send me your food log and as I get them all in I will forward for everyone to see. Just seeing someone elses diet, you can get meal ideas or see where you went wrong. It also will help hold you accountable. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, I have made a sheet for me, and will forward if you are interested. Also, if you find a recipe that is great, forward to the group! Lets help each other out! Who ever has the largest percentage of weight loss "wins".

2. Fitness. We are all at different levels of fitness and some able to do more than others. Only do what you can per drs orders (and you know who I am talking too!!!!). This is based totally on amount of exercise, not how long or how strong, but how many days of doing something. So the requirements is 30 minutes per day minimum of exercise. It does not have to be all at once, but it has to be intentional and every day. So you have to keep a log, of what day you exercise and how long and what you do. At the end of this, winner is the person who has the most days of exercise.

Time period: starts 1/5/11
ends: May 2010... the finale of the Biggest Loser... we can all watch the finale together and crown our own Loser

If you want to add anything else let me know! Please have this Wednesday's weight to me no later than Friday!